Combined dental mirror and syringe



J. E. CRAIG.- COMBINED DENTAL MIRROR AND SYRINGE- APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. 1920.

Patented Sept; 14, 1920.

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JOSEPH E. GIG, 0F GY, INDIANA.

OQMZBIHED DENTAL MIRRQR AND SYRINGE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 15, 1920. Serial Ito. 381,686.

adjustably supported by a tubular body or handle. A further object is to combine with t-hemirror and its support a syringe or foun tain bulb, which is attached to one end of the body and carries a supply of water adapted to flow through the body by gravity,

and which may be directed, by the aid of the mirror, in the form of a spray to different parts of the mouth of a patient, for Washing and cooling the teeth at intervals during the dental operations. And a further object is to provide novel and simple means for admitting atmospheric pressure to the waterbulb for displacing the water, as well as simple means for controlling the admission of the air.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Fi re 1 is a central longitudinal section: showing by full lines the construction and arrangement of the various parts; the dotted lines showing the adjustment of the mirror and its support. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the mirror and the nozzle.

In the drawing, 2 is the main body or handle of the device, preferably comprising a tube which is bent at 2' intermediate its ends to facilitate the handling and operation of the device. The ends of the body are open, and the top end is provided with an annular bead 2 which is inserted in and is gripped by the. neck 3 of an elastic bulb 3. The bulb 3 is intended to be filled, or partially filled with water, or with a suitable liquid disinfectant i, for use in washing out a patients mouth, and for coolin off a tooth made hot during the usual grin ing or cleansing operations. The support for the mirror is in the nature of a syringe and the tubular body 2 is preferably so proportioned to the bulb 3 as to prevent the accidental escape of the water. The water contained in the bulb 3 may be displaced by the compressing of the bulb, in a well-known manner, but I prefer to expel the water in a novel, simple and convenient manner, by admitting air at atmospheric pressure to the bulb, preferably at or near the top above the level of the water 4, as at 4. To accomplish this, I dispose a relatively small caliber tube 5 in the top-end portion of the body 2. The lower end of the air-tube 5 is bent and projects a'short distance through the wall ofthe body, as at 5,, While the opposite end of said tube extends concentrically inside the bulb 3 and terminates a short'dlstance from the inner top surface of the'bulb (see Fig. 1). In order that the inflow of the air to the bulb 3 may at all times be completely under the'control of the operator, I employ a valve consisting of a lever 6, which is pivoted at 7 to a collar'7, the latter being Patented Sept. M, was.

supported by the body 2, preferably below the bend 2. One end 6 of the lever is fitted with a compressible facing 6 which normally seals the lower end of the air tube.

The lever6 is held in the position shown in v Fig. 1 for closing the air tube, by-the tension of a cushion spring 8 which is disposed between the pivot 7 and the free end of the lever. 'Whenever the opera-tor desires to wash out or cool ofi atooth, he depresses the free end of the lever 6i This moves the end 6' away from the mouth of the tube 5 and admits the air at atmospheric pressure to the bulb '3, which forces the water through the handle 2. By this construction and arrangement, the operator may effect the expelling of all, or a portion of the water at will.

9 represents the mirror, which is mounted rigidly upon bracket 9, to which are secured spaced rings or collars 9 which encircle the reduced intermediate portion -10"of a tubular nozzle 10. The rings 9 are in frictional engagement with the nozzle, and the mirror 9 may be rotated or moved longitudinally tion and arrangement of the parts, the noz-c zle may also be rotated and set in different positions relatively to the body, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The free end of the nozzle 10 comprises a small bulb 10", which is perforated at 10, for producing a relatively fine spray of the water, whenever the operator manipulates the valve 6. The bulb 10 preferably extends beyond themirror 9, so that the spray may be directed, by

the aid of the mirror, into the cavity of a tooth Without interference from the mirror. The bulb 10 serves to prevent the mirror from becoming detached from the nozzle. When the mirror is held horizontally, the bend in the body 2 insures the free gravitation of the water by. the opening of the valve 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dental syringe, a bent tubular body open at its ends, a bulb mounted on one end of the body, an adjustable nozzle mounted on the opposite end of the body, an airtube disposed in said body and having one of air to said bulb, and a detachable nozzle,

adjustably connected to the opposite end of the body adapted to adjustably support a 3. The combination with a mirror mounted on abracket, of .a bent tubular body, an elastic bulb mounted on one end of the body, an air-pipe disposed in the body, one end of said pipe projecting through the wall of the body, the other end extending concentrically in said bulb, a valve for controlling the admission of air throu h said pipe into said bulb, and a nozzle te escoping the opposite end of the body having a reduced portion upon which said bracket is slidable and rotatable and having a perforated bulb beyond said bracket. 0

4. The combination with a mirror mounted on a bracket, of a bent tubular body having open ends, a nozzle telescoping one end of the body and having a reduced portion for adjustably supporting said bracket, an

elastic water-bulb mounted on the oppositeend of the body, an air-tube disposed inside said body, one end thereof projecting throu h the wall of the body, the other end exten ing into the water-bulb adapted to admit air forexpelling the contents of-the. bulb, and a spring-controlled valve mounted on the bod and normally closing one end of said air-tu e.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

Y JOSEPH E. CRAIG. 

